“Move your feet.” Jinhee sat down at the end of the couch and Junhyung just rested his feet on her lap instead.

“So where are your parents thinking about sending you for college?”

“The states. My dad is already getting chummy with a bunch of alumni from the top business schools like Wharton, Harvard and Stanford.”

“Is there a place you want to go?”

“I want to stay in South Korea, where I have influence and I’m comfortable, so even if I’m not liked, I’d still have family and people I know here. But I need to learn how to best run the business, and network with others like me, so I’ll go to the states like my parents want. It’s not that big of a deal to me.”

“Did you tell them you wanted to stay here?”

“We already discussed this. We had a slideshow presentation of the best options for me.”

“A slideshow?”

“Yeah. We want Stanford, because it’s innovative and challenging, but the business school is made for graduate students. Dad is seeing what he can do for me to get the opportunities the grad students get. If not, it’s all the way over to the East Coast at Harvard for me. At least California is right there. Massachusetts is so far.” Jinhee sighed. “So are all the other options in the States. Berkeley is unacceptable since their national ranking is too low. They’d rather have me in London.” Jinhee rubbed her face tiredly.

“That is pretty far. How are you going to get your Korean food fix?”

“Dad said he’ll buy me a house and have it staffed with Koreans.” She chuckled. “It’s ridiculous.”

“Do you want to stay in a dorm?”

“I’d be happy with a relatively secure small apartment! But he told me he’d still have to staff it for me.”

“Do you even know how to do your laundry?”

“I can learn! I’m not allowed to get a job to pay for rent, but I want to do SOMETHING for myself! I can learn how to do stuff from Google or YouTube.”

“Why would you want to?”

“I’m human like everyone else. I have hands and feet. Why can’t I do these things?”

“You’ve a good brain. Just use that.”

“Ugh! You don’t understand!”

“Of course I don’t. You need to rule the world, why waste time doing your dishes?”

“Stop provoking me!” She glared at him and pinched his calf. “I want to take care of myself and do things like cleaning my own messes because that’s something people should know how to do!”

“I think you should have been born middle class.” He chuckled.

She rolled her eyes, “Sometimes, I think so too.”

“Regardless, I still think you’re meant to rule the world. You were born with the ability to get what you want. If that’s not rule the world worthy, I don’t know what is.”

“Oh, I’m sure no matter what class I was, I would still claw my way to the top. There’s no stopping me.” She completely agreed.

“Don’t forget the little people when you’re on top of the world.” He smiled a bit too sadly for Jinhee’s liking.

“I plan on taking the special ones with me. Even if we’re not as close as how Dongwoon and I used to be, you’re definitely getting dragged to the top with me. Your mom sure as hell is coming along too.”

“I’m honored you think I should be there.” He smiled warmly at her.

“You’re the closest thing I have to a sibling. Plus, I need you to pick on me and make sure my head can still fit through the doors.”

“So you like it when I’m mean to you? No wonder you let bullies go. You like getting picked on!”

“It’s not like that. But I do really think those girls are funny to gang up on a girl because of a couple boys. I like when you pick on me, or mess with my head, because you do it in an older brother way. It’s really nice.”

“I’m sorry…” He sighed after a moment of silence.

“What for?”

“You got into a high school you didn’t belong to, and you ended up losing two brothers.”

“I didn’t really lose you. You still talked to me. I lost my best friend when Dongwoon left me. I never thought of him as a brother though.”

“Why not?”

“Because the feel was different. We’re all the same age, but you always felt like you were a few years older than us. You were in charge of making sure we didn’t get into too much trouble. Dongwoon and I acted more similar in age, so we were like friends should be. I don’t know if that makes any sense.” She cocked her head to the side trying to think about it.

“It does in a strange way.” He chuckled. He guessed that there was more to her answer that she wasn’t going to tell him any time soon, so he didn’t bother pushing it.

“Kids! Food’s ready! Come eat! I didn’t make a lot though!” They both jumped to eat the food.

Jinhee frowned when she saw that it was just going to be them eating as Junhyung’s mom continued to work. “Why won’t you join us?”

“I have two days to finish preparing for this company dinner. My assistant and her daughter don’t come back from a funeral until tomorrow.”

“Then I’ll help you!”

“You?” They both cocked an eyebrow at Jinhee.

“Yes me! I can do really simple stuff like cutting vegetables or whatever menial things.”

“Sure. Eat and come cut the vegetables.”

“Okay!” Jinhee nearly inhaled the food.

“Yah! Slow down!” Junhyung put his chopsticks between her face and her bowl of rice to stop her. “The food and the vegetables aren’t going anywhere. Eat properly.”

“Okay.” She smiled sheepishly and slowed down, but still ate quicker than she usually would.

“You’ll get indigestion.” He shook his head at her, not caring anymore.

“I’ll live.”

Jinhee wore an apron and helped his mom in the kitchen happily. She wasn’t even allowed into the kitchen at her house anymore with the new cook there shooing her away every time she tried to go in and make food for herself. He was appalled the first time she asked for ramyun, she had to go out to restaurants to get the instant noodle fix she needed. She wasn’t the best with the knife, but she was good enough to pass inspection.

“Aunty!” Dongwoon’s voice came in through the front door. “Yoseob’s mom told me to give you this for the Kimchi you made for her last week or something.” He handed her a box of food from the family restaurant. “You’re still here?”

“Yeah, dinner isn’t until later.”

“It’s eight.”

“We had a mini meal earlier.”

“I need to get this last batch done before I can start the dinner.” Junhyung’s mom smiled as she put the box into the freezer. “Thank goodness Jinhee was here to help me out a bit. It’s going faster than I planned. I’m so behind schedule.”

“You helped in the kitchen?” He looked at Jinhee warily.

“Seriously, one time something happens, and suddenly I can’t do anything!” Jinhee huffed exasperatedly.

“You somehow made your ramyun, that you were microwaving, catch on fire.” He smiled.

“It was a freak accident!”

“You’re the freak that caused an accident.” Junhyung chuckled from his place on the couch.

“Hush you!” She glared at him.

“She’s only cutting vegetables and stuff like that. She’s not going anywhere near anything that REALLY matters.”

“Don’t be mean, she’s doing really well.” Junhyung’s mom side hugged Jinhee; both had dirty hands, so no real hugging could be done. “Are you going to stay for dinner?” She asked Dongwoon.

“I can just have dinner at home.”

“With what food?” Junhyung scoffed. “Just eat here.”

“Please stay, I need your help. You’re better at cooking than Jinhee.”

“I guess.” He smiled and went to wash his hands. “What do you need me to do?”

Eventually, Jinhee subtly annoyed Junhyung enough for him to get up and help out too. He was a much better help than Jinhee, since he wasn’t terribly hopeless at cooking like she was.

Finally, most of the preparation was done and frozen for the time being. Junhyung’s mom was well into the dinner when his dad came home from work.

“Jinhee? Long time no see kid.” He patted her on the shoulder as he passed her to kiss his wife on the cheek. “Hello honey.”

“How was work?”

“Nothing special. Do you need any help?”

“No. The kids have been helping me all night.”

He nodded, “Good kids. I should buy them good presents then shouldn’t I?” He laughed.

“I want a new phone.” Junhyung joked.

“Can I get new scarf? Like that one you got me a few years ago? The maid accidentally put it in the wash with the wrong colors, so now it’s all messed up.”

“Of course. What do you want Dongwoon?”

He grinned and said the title to some new video game he’s been eying lately.

“Alright kids. Consider it done.”

“Thank you!” They echoed happily.

“Wow, you only made what Jinhee likes.” Junhyung’s dad laughed when the table was all set.

“Of course I did. She’s our guest of honor. Plus it’s not like you’re picky about food.”

“Oh, don’t you know? I can’t eat any of this. It’s all wrong. I’m not gonna eat now. You want to starve me don’t you? You don’t love me, am I right? I’m leaving. Don’t you try and stop me. We’re over.” He said all of this with his mouth already full of food, with absolutely no intention of getting up from the table.

“You should stop him.” Jinhee played along, also chowing down on the food. “I don’t want to be the cause of a family breakup.”

“Mom, stop him. I’m gonna cry.” Junhyung nodded, also focusing on the food. “I need a father figure in my life or else statistically, I’ll be disadvantaged socially.”

“I can’t believe I’m watching a family break apart in front of me. I’m traumatized. I have no hope for a future in a happy marriage now.” Dong Woon sighed, also not looking up from the food he was eating.

“Brats.” His mother scoffed and began eating as well.

“It’s so much better than I remembered!” Jinhee grinned, getting seconds.

“How are you not fat?”

“I only eat like this when I’m here.” Jinhee frowned. “You act like I’m always pigging out.”

“It’s okay, don’t listen to him. You’d still be cute if you were fat.” Dongwoon rolled his eyes.

“She already is. She’s getting a belly.” Junhyung smirked.

“Am not!” Jinhee hid her stomach, glaring at Junhyung.

“I swear you’re the only one that can rile her up like that.” Dongwoon sighed. “And you’re supposed to be the mature one.”

“Well, clearly she likes being picked on.” Junhyung glared at the little one, “So this is like me being nice.”

“Is Jinhee getting picked on in school?” Junhyung’s mother instantly picked up on the tidbit.

“She’s abnormally rich, going to a middle class school, top grades, and plays with bugs.” Dongwoon said bluntly.

“She’s definitely getting picked on.” The two school boys said together.

“I didn’t get picked on until after I started talking to you guys in school.”

“At least you’re admitting it now.”

“What else can I do? It was too obvious. And only Hyunseung would fall for the ‘This is not bullying, it playing a game’ thing.”

“If you just say that you’re being bullied, we’ll handle it. Admit it in school, in public, and we can end it.” Junhyung said firmly.

“How? Are you going to beat up girls?”

“If they’re picking on Jinhee, this will be the only time I find it acceptable to hit a girl.” Junhyung’s mom said seriously and her husband completely agreed.

“I don’t find it acceptable!” Jinhee frowned. “If I wanted the girls bullying me to get beaten up, I’d do it myself, and I’d probably do a better job of it.”

“Then what do you want?”

“I want for them to stop blindly admiring you guys just because you’re good looking.”

“If you succeed, please tell me. I want it to stop too.” Dongwoon leaned back in his chair. “I’m not even that good looking and they’ve started calling me ‘male god’.”

“First of all, yes, you’re that good looking, and second of all, what the hell?” Jinhee laughed.

“I don’t know.” He shook his head. “Poor Hyunseung has been getting ‘male goddess.’”

“He is really pretty…” She agreed.

“He’s prettier than you.” Junhyung chuckled.

“See, I can’t even argue with that.” Jinhee slumped in her chair dejectedly. “He and Haneul would make such pretty little –”

Jinhee stopped talking and stared at the table, thinking.

“What’s wrong?”

“After this, could you take me to Haneul’s place?”

“Why?”

“Something’s not right. Yesterday she was a bit off, but it wasn’t too noticeable. Today I hadn’t heard from her at all. Usually she sends me a picture of a bug every day as her club assignment. If I’m getting bullied just for hanging out with you guys… do you think… she’s…”

“It’s possible. Finish eating and I’ll take you.” Dongwoon nodded.

“You two think this girl is being bullied too? For what?” Junhyung’s parents asked.

“Hyunseung, the beautiful boy, likes her and is actively chasing her. But she’s a year younger than us, so it’s hard to keep track of what’s happening to her the way things happen to me. It’ll be so much easier to target her…” Jinhee stopped eating out of concern for her club member.

“Let’s go now.” Dongwoon got up. “You’re clearly in no mood to eat anymore.”

“Okay. Thank you for the meal. I’ll visit you guys again or something! I really need to go…”

“It’s okay honey, go make sure your friend is okay.”

They both rushed out to the car and drove to Haneul’s place with Jinhee telling him the directions.

“You don’t think they’d actually hurt her right?”

“They might… She can be more antagonistic than me when she wants to be. And it really is easier to get to her without getting caught by you guys.”

“Is there a way we can protect her?”

“I send all of the girls in her grade to the hospital in a coma?” Jinhee half joked.

“I don’t have any guy friends in her grade to protect her.” Dongwoon sighed.

“It’s okay. If she is being bullied, I’ll figure it out.”

They made it to her apartment and Jinhee called the girl’s phone as they rode the elevator up to her floor.

“Unni?”

“Where are you right now?”

“I’m about to sleep.”

“It’s only nine thirty on a Friday night. You never sleep this early, even on a school night.”

“Today… I’m just a bit more tired than usual.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. Someone’s at the door, I’m gonna hang up now.”

Haneul opened the door to find Jinhee and Dongwoon waiting there. Before she could shut the door on her, Jinhee shoved the door open, furious at what she saw.

“What happened to your face?” Jinhee fumed.

Author's Note

Somehow, my writing keeps getting more and more absurdly dramatic, but I'm curious as to how everything will span out as I write it.

Poor Haneul. We'll see to her properly later on.

Random Question Time:

Favorite Hobbies?

yum, bulgogi...